Eszopiclone

Eszopiclone helps you fall asleep if you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. After taking it, you may get up and do an activity such as drive, eat, and have sex while not fully awake.

Eszopiclone Overview

Updated: November 23, 2014

Eszopiclone is a prescription medication used to treat insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep). Eszopiclone belongs to a group of drugs called hypnotics. It works by slowing brain activity to allow you to sleep.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once daily, immediately before bedtime.

Common side effects include unpleasant taste, dry mouth, and dizziness.

Eszopiclone Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

olanzapine

ketoconazole

itraconazole

rifampin

antidepressants

antihistamines

other sleeping pills

antibiotics (Biaxin)

nelfinavir (Viracept)

ritonavir (Norvir)

antianxiety medicines

seizure medicines

Medicines can interact with each other, sometimes causing serious side effects. Do not take eszopiclone with other medicines that can make you sleepy. This is not a complete list of medicines that can interact with eszopiclone. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a complete list.

Eszopiclone Precautions

After taking eszopiclone, you may get up out of bed while not being fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. The next morning, you may not remember that you did anything during the night. You have a higher chance for doing these activities if you drink alcohol or take other medicines that make you sleepy with eszopiclone. Reported activities include:

driving a car ("sleep-driving")

making and eating food

talking on the phone

having sex

sleep-walking

Call your doctor right away if you find out that you have done any of the above activities after taking eszopiclone.

Important:

Take eszopiclone exactly as prescribed

Do not take more eszopiclone than prescribed.

Take eszopiclone right before you get in bed, not sooner.

Do not take eszopiclone if you:

drink alcohol

take other medicines that can make you sleepy. Talk to your doctor about all of your medicines. Your doctor will tell you if you can take eszopiclone with your other medicines

cannot get a full night's sleep

Do not take eszopiclone if you are allergic to anything in it.

Eszopiclone Food Interactions

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of eszopiclone there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Inform MD

Before starting eszopiclone, tell your doctor about all of your health conditions, including if you:

have a history of depression, mental illness, or suicidal thoughts

have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction

have liver disease

are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Medicines can interact with each other, sometimes causing serious side effects. Do not take eszopiclone with other medicines that can make you sleepy.

Eszopiclone and Pregnancy

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Eszopiclone falls into category C. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with this medication. But in animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Eszopiclone and Lactation

It is not known if eszopiclone crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using eszopiclone.

Eszopiclone Dosage

Patients starting on eszopiclone should take no more than 1 mg at bedtime. Doses can be increased to 2 mg or 3 mg if needed, but the higher doses are more likely to result in next-day impairment of driving and other activities that require full alertness.

Forms of Medication

Other Requirements

Store eszopiclone at room temperature, between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).

Do not use eszopiclone after the expiration date.

Keep eszopiclone and all medicines out of reach of children.

Eszopiclone is a federally controlled substance (C-IV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep this medication in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away eszopiclone may harm others, and is against the law. Tell your doctor if you have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.

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All information on this site is provided "as-is" for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. You should consult with a medical professional if you have any questions about your health. The use of any information on this site is solely at your own risk.